Caunton Engineering have supplied 2400 tonnes of structural steelwork for two major precast plants to be used in the building of HS2. These are the precast plant required to produce wall lining sections for the 10-mile long Chiltern tunnels, and a second steel framed precast plant to be used to cast sections for the nearby Colne Valley Viaduct. The project in total comprises fifteen buildings, and includes two tunnel precast factories, the tunnel workshop and warehouse, and the viaduct precast factory. The structural frames were mainly portal frames , with Caunton’s Secondary Steelwork Division also supplying forty tonnes of secondary steelwork, much of it galvanised, comprising crane access ladders, maintenance walkways, mezzanine flooring, handrail and stairs.
Once work is complete, the precast plants will be disassembled and the whole site will be landscaped with material excavated from the tunnels and trees planted in order to blend it in with the surrounding countryside. Evidence of steel’s flexibility and its particular sustainability qualities.
Caunton were employed by Align, a joint venture between Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. More information is given on the Caunton web site.